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Pukul Sapu in Indonesia

Beating brooms

Every September annually is famous and known as a end of Ramadan...in Indonesian villages this time is highly celebrated, one week after Ramadan they have a ritual of Pukul Sapu, which means "beating brooms" . The men from the two villages beat each other across their backs with broomsticks, sounds cruel? But it's not, any wounds are then treated with coconut "Mamala oil", which is believed to have supernatural powers.

If it happens for you to be in Indonesia this time, you will maybe be surprised what you will see, man slapping each other , stripped to the waist, they take it in turns to beat each other with home-made rattan brushwood switches without so mush as a flinch or cry of pain. But it's not all so bad as it seems, there is an magic oil , rubbed on the wounds and supposedly heals even broken bones within two or three days without leaving a mark. The whole idea of this ritual is to foster brotherhood and friendship.

Pukul Sapu is not some kind of hidden little village festival, it's very famous and popular event, with many VIP guests, government officials and local administrators come to see the spectacle. Once the ritual is over, and the men have finish beating each other, the women come out, all dressed up, performing traditional dance for visitors, armed with spears, you will experience something amazing with thousands of visitors.